antepenult

American  

[an-tee-pee-nuhlt, -pi-nuhlt] / ˌæn tiˈpi nʌlt, -pɪˈnʌlt /

noun

1. the third syllable from the end in a word, as te in antepenult.

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antepenult British  

/ ˌæntɪpɪˈnʌlt /

noun

1. the third last syllable in a word

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Other Word Forms

• preantepenult adjective

Etymology

Origin of antepenult

1575–85; < Latin ( syllaba ) antepaenultima the second (syllable) from the last, feminine of antepaenultimus standing before the penult. See ante-, penult

Example Sentences

Words in ion have the accent upon the antepenult, as salv�tion, perturb�tion, conc�ction; words in atour or ator on the penult, as dedic�tor.

From A Grammar of the English Tongue by Johnson, Samuel

Words ending in ty have their accent on the antepenult, as pusillan�mity, act�vity.

From A Grammar of the English Tongue by Johnson, Samuel

But if the syllable still remains short after the enclitic has been added, it is not accented unless the word originally took the accent on the antepenult.

From New Latin Grammar by Bennett, Charles E. (Charles Edwin)

Erratum in your last, 1. antepenult, pro "fear a Dun" lege "fear a Dan:" ita omnes MSS. quos ego legi, et ita magis congruum tam sensui quam veritati.

From The Poems of Jonathan Swift, D.D., Volume 2 by Browning, William Ernst

The accent of Hyperion is properly on the penult, which is long in quantity, but the English poets, with rare exceptions, have thrown it back upon the antepenult.

From Select Poems of Thomas Gray by Carruthers, Robert